


Crazy Random Happenstance

by CatrinaSL



Series: A Simple Device [81]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Laundry, Road Trips, SHIP DARCY WITH ALL THE THINGS, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-25 23:34:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7551457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Road tripping post-BNY Steve makes a stop at a laundromat and meets his Soulmate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crazy Random Happenstance

**Author's Note:**

> An anon gave us the Words! Hey, Nonny Nonny!
> 
> Soulmate AU Reminder: Everyone has a Soulmark, a tattoo of the first words their Soulmate will say to them. Showing someone else your Soulmark is like baring your soul to them, so most people only show their Soulmate or very trusted friends.

Steve had a lot of time to reflect when it was just him, his motorcycle, and a stretch of open road. Those two weeks cooped up in Future New York hadn't done a lot for him, but the Battle had helped.

It was horrible to think of the loss of life and property that the Chitauri invasion had caused as a good thing, but it showed Steve that there was something for him here. Something he could do. A way he could help. Friends he could count on.

And so he set off to see the country again, taking his time instead of being rushed from place to place, going somewhere because he wanted to and not because he had to be on stage at 6:30 for another show.

He went to Boston and met Dugan's beautiful wife. He stopped off outside DC and was dogpiled by Gabe's daughter and her family. He visited Fresno and had dinner with Morita's nephew. He visited a SHIELD base in ~~Los Angeles~~ a very secret location.

While there, he learned that the town in New Mexico that Thor had visited was still rebuilding. Steve had done a little lifting work before leaving New York, and had helped out doing manual labor for an organization called Habitat for Humanity when he was visiting South Dakota (until he was recognized and caused a stir that held up the progress of the project), so he decided to stop and see if he could lend a hand on the way to ~~another S.H.I.E.L.D. base~~ Texas.

* * *

Puente Antiguo would never be the same, but at least the pet shop was up and running again! (Before they went in Tromso, Darcy had gotten a thank you note from the happy owners of the dog she had saved, and was now following his rise to fame on instagram.)

The cafe still had plywood over a couple of the windows, but their coffee was as good as ever.

And, of course, the dive bar that Erik used to frequent was still there.

But the one thing that was missing from the little town was a decent coin-op laundromat. Darcy had to haul her clothes (and Jane's) over to the next town once a week, even though Jane would probably have been fine with the same smelly pair of jeans for a month straight.

Any port in a storm, though, and any laundromat in a desert.

Besides, there was always a chance that...

* * *

Steve was still getting the hang of using the phone Tony gave him. Natasha kept him at it, texting him to ask for news of his trip. It went off again as he hauled his duffel bag into the laundromat, setting it on top of a free washing machine. Then he dug the phone out of his pocket and read the message Natasha had sent.

It took him forever to reply, typing in what he wanted to say, then re-reading it to make sure the auto correct hadn't turned it into something ridiculous, then making sure he was pushing the right button to send it.

By the time he had finished, there was someone loading clothes into the machine next to him, a pretty brunette with glasses. He didn't realize he was staring until she smiled at him, at which point he fumbled the phone he was trying to put back into his pocket and knocked her entire box of detergent into the open machine.

Her mouth fell open and she looked up at him, waiting for him to say something.

"I am... _so_ sorry," he told her. "Let me buy you some more detergent, and I'll pay for the dryer cycle too, if you want."

She just stared at him.

Then she said, "Don't tell me that means what I think it means."

Steve blinked, and then began to grin. "It... does," he said.

She gave him a brilliant smile. "Well, this is a crazy random happenstance. You're my Laundromat Soulmate," she told him.

"And you're mine," Steve returned.

They stood and looked at one another until another patron suggested that they "Just kiss, already."

Steve's Soulmate blushed, turned back to the washing machine, and began to try to salvage some of the spilled detergent.

"I really was serious about paying you back for that," he told her.

"I know," she replied. "Your handwriting definitely gets the 'truthful' message across. You're not the kind of guy who ditches a girl on laundry day."

Steve laughed. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Darcy," she said, reemerging from the washing machine. "Darcy Lewis."

"I'm Steve Rogers," he told her, reaching out for a handshake.

She used her jeans to wipe some detergent off of her palm, and then shook his hand. "That sounds familiar," she murmured.

"It's a pretty common name," he replied, turning to hide a smile while he dumped the contents of his duffel into the machine next to hers.

"Steve... Rogers," she repeated, and leaned over to examine his profile with a gasp. "Oh my Thor! Quick, look patriotic!"

"Shhh," he warned, not wanting to sign autographs for everyone in the place.

"My Soulmate is Captain America!" she whispered excitedly.

"Did you say 'Thor' just now?"

"Yeah, I— Ohhh. Jane's gonna be pissed when she meets you."

"Jane...?"

"Foster. It's not your fault you've seen him more recently than she has, but... he promised. She's understandably still a little sensitive about it."

Steve was confused. "You've met Thor?"

"Of course. I'm his girlfriend's intern, so I was front and center for the whole alien thing here; explosions and all. I tased him."

"My Soulmate tased Thor?"

"In my defense, he was huge, plus he was stumbling around like a drunk guy, yelling for his hammer. At least I didn't hit him with the van. Twice."

Steve wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"So what brings you to the middle of nowhere, New Mexico, Captain Soulmate?" she asked.

"I was actually hoping to see if I could help with the cleanup," Steve told her. "I assume the town still needs a few things fixed?"

"Absolutely," Darcy replied, shoving her coins into the machine to start the wash cycle. "And I know just where you should start."

"Oh?" he leaned against his machine and mirrored her grin. "You know of something that Puente Antiguo needs?"

Darcy licked her lips before pronouncing: "A laundromat."

**Author's Note:**

> Baker the Internet Star is my new favorite headcanon.
> 
> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/147843752053/crazy-random-happenstance)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


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